How Did Saturn Get Its Rings? | Dr. Anna Funk | Discover

Astronomers know a lot about Saturn’s ring system. They’ve known about it for centuries, ever since Galileo first spotted it with his telescope in 1610. And NASA has explored them, first with the Pioneer and Voyager probes, and more recently, with the Cassini mission. Saturn’s rings are made out of ice and rock particles, some as big as a minivan. But despite all that, there’s still lots we don’t know. Like, how old are Saturn’s rings? And how did they form? — ABOUT DISCOVER: Discover is your source for